Skip links

yakmax

What Made Me Mean and Moody? My Attitude Was Intolerable; My Hypothyroidism Was Worse

I was recently diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, a condition that causes an underactive thyroid gland. An underactive thyroid does not produce adequate levels of certain hormones that are essential for overall health; this condition has caused prominent deficiencies that affect me and those who I love, daily.

It is amazing how so many aspects of my life are tied to this little gland in my throat. My mood seems to change with the weather, and it affects my life in totality. I can go from happy to irritated in a matter of minutes. I am always tired, and my menstrual cycle has a mind of its own. I’ve missed cycles—I’ve had multiple cycles in one month, which is totally a mood killer in itself.

Initially, I didn’t take the diagnosis too serious. Recently, I was given in-depth information about the things that could happen if I continued to maintain my passive attitude about my condition; I was immediately “scared straight.” This little gland can turn my world, as I know it, upside down—so I changed my attitude and began to work on a plan of action for my family’s sake and me.

Next Steps and Self Management Alternative

Eventually, I will have surgery to remove the goiter that has developed as a result of my hypothyroidism. However, being on thyroid medication for the rest of my life is not completely thrilling. I have decided to try an alternative method to manage my condition. I’ve elected to try vitamin and mineral therapy in conjunction with close monitoring by my physician.

A few simple additions to my daily vitamin and mineral intake have proven to reduce some of the chronic symptoms that I was experiencing. After doing some research about my condition and the deficiencies that it causes, I mapped out my “self-help” plan so that I can ensure that I am doing my best at managing my condition, as well as, maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

My Daily Regimen

Each day, I ensure that I add the following to my diet, in the form of food or a supplemental vitamin or mineral.

Vitamin D3

Calcium

Zinc

Fish Oil

Iodine (I love shrimp! I was excited to incorporate this into my diet more often.)

This is not an exhaustive list of the vitamins and minerals that are essential for managing Hypothyroidism, however these simple editions have already shown to be effective. I have noticed that the hoarseness in my voice is not as prominent; I have noticed an increase in my energy level; my irritability is not as frequent; my skin and hair is not a dry and brittle as it had become and my goiter has even reduced in size. These are all improvements that I am extremely grateful for; the fact that I physically feel better translates into a better mood and a productivity level that is essential for my life as the mother of a very active 9-year-old boy.